Thursday of the First Week of Lent

Pope Alexandros of Alexandria was born in Egypt, though little is known of his early years. As a priest he endured the harsh persecutions under the emperors Galerius and Maximinus Daia, and he carried that steadfast faith into his service as the 19th Patriarch of Alexandria, succeeding Achillas. His patriarchate was marked by trials that tested the Church’s unity. He worked to calm disputes over the proper dating of Easter and faced the schism stirred by Meletius of Lycopolis, seeking reconciliation while safeguarding ecclesial order. Yet his greatest struggle was against Arianism. When Arius denied the eternal divinity of the Son, Alexandros defended the mystery of the Holy Trinity with clarity and courage, convening synods that condemned the error and writing to bishops across the Christian world to strengthen communion in the true faith. He also nurtured the gifts of his deacon and successor, Athanasius, who would become a great champion of orthodoxy. He is venerated as a faithful shepherd and is remembered as patron of Belica. His feast day is February 26.